Rode a lot of dirt bikes (motocross racing) in my younger years, but took a 30 year hiatus. Now I have the itch to get back on a bike at 57. Took the MSF and have been test riding quite a few bikes. Rented a Heritage for a day and 170 miles of riding. Feeling pretty good about riding and bike control, but humble enough to know it's going to take me a while to regain the skills to ride well, especially with big heavy bikes. Leaning toward a Road King and would like to rent one for a day, but none available. Really impressed with the M8! Rode both the King and a Street Glide today, and the Glide seemed a little easier to ride for some reason? Never been a big fairing fan. Radio does nothing for me, but do like the heads up instruments. Thoughts? Am I starting with too big of bike?

 

If you don't like a fairing, it's an easy decision. Go with the RK and you'll love it.

 

I have the RK, can't speak from experience about how the SG handles. The low center of gravity of the RK makes it easy to handle, but I believe the suspension is lower on the SG, which may account for the difference you felt. The RK is a great bike and a versatile platform. Ride it as is, or add a tour pac, or lowers, or a luggage rack, etc. You really can give it several different looks. I also like the open view of the RK thru the windshield. As for it being too much bike, many people start on big bikes after taking the course. It's about your confidence and how well you use your brain when you ride. If a tourer makes you nervous, get somethinvg like a Suzuki C50 until you feel more confident. It won't take long. There are lots of used mid-sized bikes out there for this very reason.

 

Have yet to ride an M8 but have a Road King and a Road Glide. The Road King is so versatile it is beyond words. Have a shield as well as a fairing for it, not to count a tour pack. Been riding the last few days of nice weather what I call topless, without anything up front. Feels like riding a Sportster again. Ride and decide.

 

Only reason to buy an SG over the road king is a radio and other electronic crap thats useless as tit's on a nun on a motorcycle.

Simplify your life, the M8 RK rules.

 

Road King. Skip the electronics. Save money. Have a better handling bike.

 

Road king is a big bike but if you test rode one then you know it doesn't really feel heavy. I would get what you want the first time. I also have no use for a radio or fairing.

 

Having rode a bike without a radio for 600 to 1000 miles sucks. Been there done that for 8 years. Now riding a street glide. Love me some tunes and gps. But its not for eveeybody. OP sounds like a road king guy who needs to look at a gps unit to mount to the handle bars. Then he has his ultimate bike. No radio but still heads up navigation.

Batman

 

If you don't need the electronics - Road King. Owned one and loved it.

 

I own a RK and love it. I did a test ride on the new M8 street glide and really liked it. But I would not trade my RK for it. If you don't need the fairing or tunes the RK is a sweet bike. I have a Zumo gps mounted to the bars and no tunes. Don't need them.
That being said I do like the display on the SG but prefer the ride of my RK.